8 Vegetable & Herb Profiles
Detailed Growing Guides for Florida
Month-by-month season bars, regional zone guides, yield information, and growing tips for each crop.
Cool Season
Tomatoes
Solanum lycopersicum
Florida's favorite garden vegetable — with the right timing. Plant in February for a spring harvest or late August for fall. Avoid summer heat, which stops fruit set above 90°F.
Florida Season Guide
Plant
Growing
Harvest
Off
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
10–30 lbs per plant with good care
Florida Growing Tips
- Choose Florida-adapted varieties: Heatmaster, Solar Fire, Sweet 100 cherry
- Mulch heavily — keeps soil temps cooler and moisture consistent
- Use shade cloth (30–40%) during May to extend harvest before heat ends season
- Fertilize every 2 weeks with balanced fertilizer; calcium prevents blossom end rot
- Stake or cage early — Florida tomatoes grow fast in good conditions
- Watch for tomato hornworm and stinkbugs; check undersides of leaves regularly
Good Companions
Warm Season
Sweet Potatoes
Ipomoea batatas
One of Florida's most rewarding summer crops. Heat-tolerant, drought-resistant, and surprisingly easy — sweet potatoes love Florida summers and practically take care of themselves once established.
Florida Season Guide
PlantGrowingHarvestOff
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
5–10 lbs per plant; great space-to-yield ratio
Florida Growing Tips
- Plant slips (rooted cuttings), not seeds — slips root quickly in Florida heat
- Loose, sandy Florida soil is actually ideal — no amendments needed in most cases
- Vines will spread aggressively — give them room or train them as living mulch
- Don't overwater; once established, weekly deep watering is plenty
- Harvest when vines start to yellow, or before first frost in North FL
- Cure harvested tubers in a warm, humid spot for 1–2 weeks to develop sweetness
Good Companions
Warm Season
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
Basil loves Florida summers. While northern gardeners struggle to keep it alive, Florida gardeners grow it into giant fragrant bushes from May through October. Plant near tomatoes for a classic companion pairing.
Florida Season Guide
PlantGrowingPeak HarvestOff
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
Continuous harvest all season with pinching
Florida Growing Tips
- Pinch flower buds as soon as they appear — bolting stops leaf production
- Florida summers promote aggressive growth; harvest frequently to keep plants bushy
- Try Spicy Globe basil for a more compact plant, or Thai basil for heat tolerance
- In South FL, cut plants back hard in November for a winter flush of growth
- Water at the base; wet leaves in humidity encourages fungal issues
Good Companions
Cool Season
Peppers
Capsicum annuum & chinense
In Central and South Florida, peppers can live for multiple years — becoming large, productive shrubs that produce year-round. In North FL they're treated as an annual, but still deliver impressive harvests in the cool season.
Florida Season Guide
PlantGrowingHarvestOff
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
Perennial plants in C/S FL yield for years
Florida Growing Tips
- In Central FL: cut back hard in November — peppers re-sprout and produce through winter
- Habaneros and other hot peppers handle Florida heat better than bell peppers
- Mulch heavily to regulate soil moisture; inconsistent watering causes blossom drop
- Aphid pressure can be high in spring; blast off with water or use neem oil early
- Don't rush harvest — peppers sweeten and intensify as they fully ripen to red, orange, or yellow
Good Companions
Warm Season
Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus
The ultimate Florida summer vegetable — okra thrives in intense heat that wilts everything else. One of the most productive and easy-to-grow crops in the Florida garden, and its beautiful hibiscus-like flowers are a bonus.
Florida Season Guide
PlantGrowingHarvestOff
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
Harvest every 2–3 days at peak; very productive
Florida Growing Tips
- Soak seeds overnight before planting to improve germination rate
- Direct sow — okra does not transplant well; disturbing roots slows it down
- Harvest pods at 3–4 inches; overgrown pods become woody and inedible fast
- Plants can reach 6–8 feet tall — plant against a fence or allow space
- Wear long sleeves when harvesting; okra leaves can irritate bare skin
Good Companions
Herb
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
One of the most reliable herbs in Florida. Rosemary is drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and grows into a woody shrub that can last decades. Harvest year-round and let the blue spring flowers attract native pollinators.
Florida Season Guide
Growing / Harvestable Year-Round
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
Steady year-round harvest; better with age
Florida Growing Tips
- Excellent drainage is critical — rosemary rots in soggy soil or standing water
- Sandy Florida soil is actually ideal; amend clay soils with coarse sand or perlite
- Prune lightly after flowering to keep plant compact and productive
- Once established, no fertilizer needed — overfertilizing reduces aromatic oils
- In North FL, protect from hard freezes with frost cloth; usually bounces back
Good Companions
Warm Season
Malabar Spinach
Basella alba
The solution to Florida's summer salad problem. When true spinach has bolted and wilted in the heat, Malabar spinach thrives — producing glossy, nutritious leaves on a beautiful climbing vine all summer long.
Florida Season Guide
PlantGrowingHarvestOff
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
Continuous leaf harvest all summer with cutting
Florida Growing Tips
- Provide a trellis, fence, or arbor — vines can reach 10+ feet in a Florida summer
- The vine is beautiful enough for ornamental use; great on fences or pergolas
- Harvest young leaves and stem tips for best flavor; older leaves get slightly mucilaginous
- Can self-seed prolifically — remove flowers if you don't want volunteers next year
- Use in place of spinach in cooked dishes; raw in salads with light dressing
Good Companions
Herb
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
A tropical perennial that feels completely at home in Florida. Lemongrass forms large, aromatic clumps used in Asian cooking, herbal teas, and natural mosquito deterrents. In Central and South Florida, it grows year-round with almost no care.
Florida Season Guide
Growing / Harvestable Year-Round (C/S FL)
Florida Region Guide
Yield Potential
★★★★★
Clumps multiply yearly; divide & share
Florida Growing Tips
- Plant in full sun with good drainage; afternoon shade is fine in South FL in summer
- Clumps can reach 4–6 feet wide over several years — give them space
- Harvest outer stalks from the base, leaving the center to keep growing
- Divide clumps every 2–3 years to keep plants vigorous and to share with neighbors
- In North FL: pot up and bring indoors before first frost, or treat as an annual
- The strong citrus scent naturally repels mosquitoes near seating areas